30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 17 20-37 Be occupied with the work of His kingdom, till He returns 15 God has called us to holiness
📖 Luke 17:20-37
22Aug2020 - *God has called us to holiness* - _Luke 17:20-37_ - BE OCCUPIED WITH THE WORK OF HIS KINGDOM, TILL HE RETURNS 15 – Bible reading: _I Thessalonians 4:3-8_
_Luke 17:28-30 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; (29) but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. (30) Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed._
We have considered Noah as a pattern for us to adopt and follow as we are occupied with the work of His kingdom. Let us now compare our circumstances with Lot and his time.
We are all aware of the wickedness of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah _(Genesis 19:4-15)_. Homosexuality was the well-known evil of the people. They went after strange flesh. _Jude 1:7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire._ God is warning us through the judgement that came on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
_II Peter 2:6-9 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; (7) and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (8) (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— (9) then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,_
Lot was righteous in this context and he was set apart from this evil scenario. This is how the Lord desires the church to be in our prevailing conditions. Sexual immorality has increased in all forms and people demand the license to practice a lifestyle of their choice and do not want anyone to set limits to their sexual conduct. It is in this context that the church has to be righteous.
We must keep in mind that sexual immorality is not only what happens externally but what happens within, in our body, soul and spirit. Our righteousness has to be in our total person and not externally alone. _I Corinthians 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,_
Sexuality is a wonderful gift that God gave for a man and his wife alone. God gave all of us the sexual desire so that we will acquire the value of faithfulness. It is only in keeping the sexual relationship within the marriage relationship that we learn faithfulness in all relationships. _Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge._
We belong to God both as our Creator as well as our Redeemer. We are His, entirely. Our body is the temple of His Holy Spirit. Since we are God’s, we must glorify Him in our body and in our spirit. _I Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (19) Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (20) For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. I Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,_
It is in the midst of the wicked scenario that we live in that the Lord expects us to be people amongst whom there should not even be a hint of sexual immorality. _Ephesians 5:3-5 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; (4) neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God._
God’s will for us is our sanctification. _I Thessalonians 4:3-8 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; (4) that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honour, (5) not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; (6) that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. (7) For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. (8) Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit._
God has called us to holiness, while we live in a highly charged evil environment.
*Thought to ponder*
```Have we, as His people, displayed His holiness to our evil generation? ```